28 Unique Container Gardening Ideas That Will Dress To Impress

Take a hint from these simple yet stunning unique container gardening ideas to make your space pop with potted and planted creativity!

This page contains affiliate links which allow me to earn small commissions from qualifying purchases of fun and favorite products at no cost to you. 

1: Vintage Wheelbarrow Planter unique container gardening idea

Keep your eyes peeled for an old wheelbarrow at a flea market or thrift store and turn it into a wheelbarrow planter.

Fill with a mix of trailing petunias, geraniums, and sweet potato vine that creates a rustic flowy effect.

The rustic charm adds instant character, and it’s mobile! You can move it around the yard to capture the best sun. Drill drainage holes in the bottom if there aren’t any.

2: stacked wooden crate container garden idea

Stack 2 to 3 wooden crates at varying angles and heights. Fill the crates with herbs like basil, rosemary, mint, thyme, or colorful summer blooms.

It’s both functional and beautiful — great near a kitchen door or on a patio. Seal the wood with outdoor varnish to extend its life through the season.

3: galvanized metal trough container

Stock troughs from farm supply stores make stunning planters (and even ponds as seen in this list of summer gardening ideas). Simple galvanized metal troughs deep enough for vegetables like tomatoes or peppers, and look equally gorgeous with a mass of colorful summer zinnias or orange marigolds.

The silvery metal reflects light and has a cool farmhouse-meets-modern aesthetic kinda vibe.

4: Clustered Painted Terracotta garden Pots

Group terra cotta pots of varying sizes together and paint them in charming vintage or antique inspired tones and colors — think dusty blue, terracotta orange, and sage green.

Plant each with a single variety (lavender, succulents, trailing ivy) and arrange them as a vignette on steps, a porch corner, or to frame an entrance.

5: Repurpose Jars As a Fun Garden DIY

Here you can see a clever use of mason jars made into lanterns that might double as fun succulent containers. A simple diy project like this adds both a decorative element as well as a functional element to any garden or patio.

Don’t be afraid to choose a bold container! These stunning stone busts and head planters house beautiful green plants in a variety of textures to add tasteful decorative drama without the use of colors and flowers.

7: Use Vintage Cups or Textured Glasses as containers

Sometimes items as simple as vintage glassware or textured glass vases are enough to bring the sophisticated look of vintage chic to a potted plant.

8: Incorporate Lots of Fresh Herbs In your Designs

Don’t forget to fill your containers with your choice of fresh herbs! As you can see, they double as ornamental and edible additions to any garden. They are the delicious gift that keeps on giving all summer long!

9: Use Herbs In decorative planters To Add Character To your Garden

Here we explore the use of herbs as decorative elements in a fun terra cotta planter where mint, rosemary, and thyme peek out throughout the pot.

10: Consider Mixing Textures In the Same Color For Added Drama

As you can see, the look of a beautiful container can be achieved without the need of blooming flowers. Here a wave of flowing variegated ivy is topped off with a mix of Chinese evergreens, coral bells, ferns, and deep purple alocasia. A mix of mostly shade loving plants in a series of green hues provide all the personality in this simple container.

11: Add Height and Drama to Small Containers with Long Leggy Plants

Here a group of terra cotta pots provide a framing border to a square structure on a garden floor. The use of long flowering plants in the center of a pot creates length and adds a focal point to otherwise shorter containers (without the use of a plant stand).

12: Consider The Style and Finish of A Container as a decorative accent

Consider the shape, color, and overall finish of a container when choosing vessels for your garden. Here a rounded bronze metallic looking planter is used as the inspiration for the fiery reds and brown plants that pour out from the top creating a warm-colored arrangement.

13: Use Rustic Shallow Containers

As you can see, even small shallow containers can command attention in any space as well. Here antique rustic shallow containers houses a simple mix of succulents.

14: Consider Galvanized Steel Containers To Add Rustic Primitive Style To Any Space

Galvanized steel containers bring a little rustic love to the front porch area with the use of a little wooden bench. Consider vintage metal containers as planters to add a little primitive charm to any outdoor space.

15: Plant A Living Wall Through Vertical Gardening

Create a stunning focal point on any wall using the decorative strategies of vertical gardening. You can use a variety of materials to create mountable wall stands that can house a living green wall.

16: Consider The Exotic Look and Low-Maintenace Beauty of Succulents

Succulents are a simple way to add texture, variety, color, and style to any container. They come in so many different colors and varieties these days. They are easy to grow and you can use any container you can think of! Here a shallow container on a pillar creates an elegant display with a variety of succulents inside.

17: Incorporate small Shrubs and Bushes As Focal Points in containers

This is a truly creative use of miniature evergreen trees and shrubs. Here, a small conifer garden in a wide shallow pot creates the look of a little zen miniature garden and brightens a small tabletop space.

18: Use Upcycled Materials To add Personal Style and Color To Any Garden

These darling boots create clever decorative containers for gorgeous purple lavender blooms. Yet another example of a unique container gardening idea that you can diy for added color and character in the garden.

19: Think About Height, Length, and Placement Using Plant Stands

Think about adding stylish drama through height with the use of plant stands. Here a simple black steel plant stand cradles a gorgeous bundle of tropical pink alocasia while limey green creeping jenny vines create the look of little hanging gardens.

20: Add A Sweet Charming Touch With DIY Garden Planters

Here a vintage perforated bowl colander in a vibrant color makes an adorable diy planter for sweet pink blooms. A rustic and charming touch for any garden…

21: Think About Shade Loving Plants To Create Beautiful Low Maintenance Containers

Sometimes easy-maintenance and simplicity are key. Shade loving plants come in a variety of foliage that unfolds in deep dark tones. Here easy care shade loving plants fill a variety of nicely square-shaped garden containers.

22: Upcycle An Old Fountain As a Layered Container For Plants

I’ve seen this done so many times in so many ways and I always think the same thing: beautiful. beautiful. beautiful. You can fill an old fountain with healthy fresh soil and fill with anything from varieties of succulents, to hanging vine plants, to tropical florals that will bloom all summer long and steal the show in any garden.

23: Use Texture In PLants To Create Contrasting Drama In A Container

Don’t be afraid to bundle a unique mix of textures, styles, and colors to get an outrageously gorgeous look in a garden container. Here we see how ornamental cabbage is nestled among silver ragwort, slender ornamental grasses, and hot pink celosia. A great look for those of you in need of hardy plants that can withstand fall temperatures as well.

24: Easy Desert Inspired Style with Prickly Cactus Plants

Consider a stylish dessert vibe with a variety of cactus and succulent plants in shallow clay containers that can dress up a side table or serve as a decorative accent on a patio corner.

25: Consider Creative DIY As A Unique Container Gardening Idea

Here we see an old chandelier is upcycled into a charming hanging planter. Styled further with mismatched glass containers as plant holders, this easy diy project is yet another charming example of how to bring your own personal style into the garden.

26: Use Everyday Items To Create Unique Containers For Plants

Here we see simple glass milk bottles double as the cutest little containers for brightly rainbow-colored celosias in a galvanized metal caddy.

27: Style Small Gardens, Balconies, and Patios With Hanging Blooms

Here a creative and colorful use of space is employed with lots of hanging blooms in matching pink and white colors. A few decorative lanterns add pizzaz while letting all the flowers do the talking…

28: Add A Birdcage Planter

This is a truly enchanting way of bringing a functional yet decorative element into the garden. How beautiful is this? Gorgeous ferns and enchanting summer vines pour out of the sides of an elegant ornamental birdcage filled with life. It adds an elegant look to any outdoor space!

Use any of these unique container gardening ideas to bring interest and style to your outdoor gardens. Don’t forget about the front of the house this summer! Sift through easy ideas for front porch planters to get you inspired.

Shop Unique Container Gardening Ideas